In Between The Chapters
by sesshoumarurinfan
Summary: What happened after the defeat of Naraku? Why did Sesshoumaru leave Rin in the village? Find out here
1. The Aftermath

The Aftermath

The battle with Naraku was finally over.

Inuyasha had come back from the well without Kagome. Hmm.

But from what I understood she was still alive.

Kohaku said his goodbyes to us. He didn't know what he wanted to do but knew he wanted to spend time with his sister and maybe train. He had walked up to me, gestured as if he was about to give me a hug, thought better of it, and settled on "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama". I gave him a nod and that was that.


	2. The Decision

The Decision

It was days after the defeat of Naraku. The stomping sound of Ah-Un was close behind me. Rin was riding on him and Jaken was leading him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what do you intend to do now?" asked the imp like demon.

I never found this question to be interesting before. But now, I felt that the simple answer of "traveling" was no longer sufficient. I traveled before I met the likes of Naraku. But that was all in search of power. I already surpassed my father, so the urge to find powerful swords or uncover father's plans for his old swords no longer interested me.

Now I had to think about Rin.

At first, I kept her with me out of interest. She was a bizarre little human. Then I grew to…not want her to die. In fact, I forbade her to die.

Jaken knew of this too.

But the girl's one too many brushes with death made me realize that she does not belong with me. As much as I have gotten used to her, protected her, and made sure she had food and clothes; the fact is, my way of life is dangerous and downright ridiculous for a human to pursue.

One day I will build an empire like my father had, but to do that requires time…

I winced. Time was not something Rin had.

*Authors note- He thinks of Rin dying of old age here, but is more focused on the here and now*

When Rin had died in hell. The pain was…unreal. I never felt such a pain before. There was no word for it. But then she was brought back, and everything was O.K again. The relief was as unreal as the pain.

But even then I had known…that if I had left her in a village from the start, she wouldn't have been in such danger.

No. That's not fair to say. She was beaten up and ignored by the villagers of her last village. And then after she was abused, the place was attacked. If the locals didn't kill her, outside forces would have. Humans don't exactly live safe lives either. They have wars, hatred, and wrongs just like demons do. Though their degree of those things are a couple of notches less.

Still, it is the lesser of two evils…


	3. The Circle

The Circle

I looked back to where Rin was sitting. She was looking straight ahead, not even noticing my eyes on her.

I didn't want her to leave.

Her kindness is what led me back to her. No. Her smile is what led me back to her.

She had been annoying, interesting, but annoying. I wanted her to leave me be. But she came back, persistent in her attempt to rescue me. As if I needed rescuing.

I came dangerously close to killing her when I slapped the food out of her hand. She didn't seem to care. She wanted me to live. She wanted me to be OK.

"Umm, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

I stopped to look at Jaken.

"Is something the matter?"

What was he talking about?

It was then that I realized that we had walked in a huge circle and were now headed back to the village where Naraku was destroyed.

I must have made the turn when I decided it was the lesser of two evils…

"No". I finally responded.

I heard Rin's stomach growl and then an idea came to me.


	4. The Field

The Field

"Jaken. Mind Ah-Un while Rin and I find food".

He seemed shocked, but nodded in response.

Rin jumped off of Ah-Un and walked to my side. She looked up at me for a second and then we were off. There was a field not too far ahead. One that was probably a part of one of the other villages in the area.

She ran ahead of me to pick some flowers and then off to side to pick some more.

The field was small, but large enough that Rin could find good melons in what smelled to be a field of mostly bad melons. She picked a good one out and started munching. She smiled at me with juice on her face. "This one is really good Sesshoumaru-sama!" She turned to the melons again. "Maybe I should take three or four…"

"Rin".

She turned back to me. "Yes?"

"For your safety…you have to live in a human village."

She stopped chewing. Something changed in her eyes. I knew this look, she was afraid.

"But why? Sesshoumaru-sama?"

I knew she wouldn't understand. So much so that I just told her why, but that wasn't enough for her.

"You have to learn to be with humans." This was true, but not the main reason for my decision.

"But I want to be with you!"

This was new. There were times when she argued with Jaken, or even that time when she said she wanted to come with me to defeat Magatsuhi, but this was a little over the line of defiance.


	5. The Acceptance

The Acceptance

She didn't want to leave me. I got that. I was "kind" to her after she had lived such an unmerciful life. But if she died again, there was no more Tenseiga or Meido-seki to bring her back. That's it. She would be gone.

With that last thought I blurted out something I didn't mean to.

"I'm not losing you again."

She seemed to shrink a little after that. Her eyes puffed up as if she were going to cry.

I walked over to her and knelt down. She didn't expect it but I held her, with both arms. Her body was small, but she embraced back and sobbed in my mokomoko*.

"You will be safe." I assured her. Inuyasha's group will be there, even more protection.

She seemed to have gotten over her defiance and surrendered to the decision. She lifted her head up.

I felt a tug of regret. I wanted so badly in that instance to reverse my decision, to have Rin stay.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, it is enough that I got to be with you."

Instantly I thought of Kagura.

In that field of flowers.

Saying something similar.

The fact that Tenseiga couldn't save her.

Her smile.

Her body decomposing in the wind.

No. No. This had to be done. My Rin will be safe. I won't lose her again.


	6. The Rare Truth

The Rare Truth

"Thank you for being my first real friend."

I looked past my resolve and worry and looked directly into her eyes.

"No. Thank you"

Had I not met her, I wouldn't have mastered Tenseiga, or gotten more involved with Naraku, or gotten Bakusaiga. But I wasn't thanking her for my accomplishments physically, I was thanking her for this feeling I felt whenever I looked at her. I don't remember when it started, but it always felt pure, for a lack of a better word.

She dropped her head. "You saved me so many times. I'm sorry to have been a burden."

I lifted her head back up. "Don't ever think that. I wanted you to live. I wanted you to be OK, I wanted… to see you smile."

At that she smiled. That was the nicest thing that has ever passed my lips. And it shocked me that I actually said it, but I meant it.

She nodded, but some tears still fell from her eyes.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't forget about me."

"I won't Rin"


	7. The Village

The Village

From the field, Rin and I walked to the village. Inuyasha wasn't around, but the monk, demon slayer, small demons and the old miko were there. The elder of them seemed to know what was happening from the beginning and asked the others to leave us to talk.

When I returned to Jaken, he didn't know what to say, and I didn't wait until he found the words.

A couple of days later, I returned to the village with a small package. Inside was a comb and a pair of sandals. Rin was overjoyed.

She knew that I had not really left her. I would return to the village every once in a while, to watch over Rin and sometimes I would bring her a gift.

But I would never really leave her.

I was going to protect her and be there for her, whether she was with me or not.


End file.
